China Human Rights Briefing June 15-21, 2010

June 22, 2010 Comments Off

China Human Rights Briefing

June 15-21, 2010

To download this week’s CHRB as a .pdf file, please click here

Highlights

Beijing Activists Harassed Ahead of Dragon Boat Festival: Beijing police, concerned that local activists and netizens would be gathering together during the Dragon Boat Festival, harassed and briefly detained a number of these individuals in and around the capital this past week. On June 15, police arrived to search the Chaoyang District home of activist Su Yutong (苏雨桐) and took her in for hours of questioning. The same night, National Security officials dragged activist Liu Dejun (刘德军) out of his home, hooded him, and drove him to the outskirts of Beijing, throwing his cell phone out the window en route. The officers beat him before leaving him on the side of the road. On June 16, when around 20 Beijing netizens gathered in support of human rights activist Ni Yulan (倪玉兰), police arrived on the scene and took Ni to the Donghuamen police station in Dongcheng District. Lawyer Teng Biao (滕彪) was also taken from the scene by police for “tea,” while Li Fangping (李方平), who had planned to attend, was kept under soft detention at his home. Ni was released shortly after 1 am on the morning of June 17.

Contents

Arbitrary Detention

Released Olympics Protestor Liu Xueli Challenges RTL Decision
Beijing Activist Wu Gan Detained 15 Days Following Traffic Stop in Yunnan
Beijing-Based Activist Li Jincheng Missing, Believed Detained
Chengdu Activist Chen Yunfei Released from Black Jail

Harassment of Activists

Police Break up Gathering in Support of Ni Yulan, Briefly Detain Ni and Husband
Beijing Activist Liu Dejun Abducted, Beaten by National Security Officers
Police Briefly Detain and Search Home of Beijing Activist Su Yutong
Shanghai Activist Jin Yuehua Remains Under Soft Detention as Expo Continues

Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

Dissident Li Hong, Recently Released on Medical Parole, in Critical Condition

Arbitrary Detention

Released Olympics Protestor Liu Xueli Challenges RTL Decision

CHRD learned on June 18 that Henan Province activist Liu Xueli (刘学立) has filed for administrative reconsideration of the decision to send him to Re-education through Labor (RTL) following his release on April 2, 2010. Liu, a village representative from Bopo Village, Luoyang City, Henan, was seized in Beijing in August, 2008, after he submitted an application to protest at one of the official “Protest Zones” during the Beijing Olympics. In September 2008, Liu was sent to 18 months of RTL for “endangering public safety” by the Luoyang RTL Management Committee, a decision which was later changed to 21 months of RTL for “abnormal petitioning in Beijing,” “sending a public letter to the 17th Party Congress signed by over 10,000 petitioners,” “distorting the facts and attacking national policy,” and “being in possession of illegal leaflets.” (CHRD)[i]

Beijing Activist Wu Gan Detained 15 Days Following Traffic Stop in Yunnan

On June 19, Beijing activist Wu Gan (吴淦), also known as “Butcher” (屠夫), was given 15 days of administrative detention by police in Lijiang Town, Yunnan Province. Wu was stopped by police in Yunnan’s Yulong County because the motorcycle he was riding did not have a license plate; while he did not dispute this fact, he believes that police were seeking to intercept him (one officer asked, “What kind of important person are you, that our superiors placed such importance on stopping you?”) and detain him in retaliation for reporting he performed during the “eluding the cat” incident in 2009, which involved the death of a detainee in a Yunnan detention center. Wu is being held in Lijiang’s Old Town Detention House. (CHRD)[ii]

Beijing-Based Activist Li Jincheng Missing, Believed Detained

Beijing-based activist Li Jincheng (李金城) has been missing since June 19 and may be in police detention, CHRD learned on June 20. According to a friend, Li could not be reached by phone on June 19, and a fellow activist who was summoned for questioning that evening was asked by National Security officials about Li in a manner which this activist believed indicated that Li was in police detention. Concrete details regarding Li’s whereabouts remain unknown. Li, who is originally from Shandong Province, was recently involved in actions to support Beijing human rights activist Ni Yulan (倪玉兰) as well as the three Fujian netizens (Fan Yanqiong [范燕琼], Wu Huaying [吴华英], and You Jingyou [游精佑] convicted of “slander” for their internet postings. (CHRD)[iii]

Chengdu Activist Chen Yunfei Released from Black Jail

Shortly before midnight on June 19, Sichuan activist Chen Yunfei (陈云飞) was released following more than 60 hours in detention. On the morning of June 17, Chen called a friend to say he was being taken to a police station; however, the call was then cut off and for more than 2 days his whereabouts and condition were unknown. Chen later revealed that he had been taken to a black jail, and that he went on a hunger strike, which eventually lasted for close to 54 hours before he was released. On June 19, a group of democracy activists and human rights defenders planned to gather the next day outside of the Public Security Bureau (PSB) office in Xindu District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, to demand Chen’s release; since Chen was released before their protest could take place, they instead accompanied Chen to the PSB office, where he filed a complaint about his illegal detention. (CHRD)[iv]

Harassment of Activists

Police Break up Gathering in Support of Ni Yulan, Briefly Detain Ni and Husband

On the evening of June 16, a group of around 20 Beijing netizens gathered in an underground passageway for a celebration marking the Dragon Boat Festival and in support of human rights activist Ni Yulan (倪玉兰), who has experienced weeks of police harassment since her release from prison in April. However, police officers arrived on the scene shortly after the group and, claiming that they were “orally summoning” Ni Yulan, took her to the Donghuamen police station in Dongcheng District. Lawyer Teng Biao (滕彪) was also taken from the scene by police for “tea,” while Li Fangping (李方平), who had planned to attend, was kept under soft detention at his home. Following Ni’s abduction, the netizens hurried to the Donghuamen station, gathering outside and demanding Ni’s release. They remained outside the station until 11 pm, when they were finally driven off by persistent rain. Ni was released shortly after 1 am on the morning of June 17. Police took her and her husband to a hotel in Beijing’s Xicheng District. (CHRD)[v]

Beijing Activist Liu Dejun Abducted, Beaten by National Security Officers

Around 11 pm at night on June 15, National Security officials arrived at the Beijing home of activist Liu Dejun (刘德军) and began questioning him about his upcoming travel plans. When Liu refused to cooperate in protest of their invasion of his privacy, the officials hooded him and drove him to the outskirts of Beijing, throwing his cell phone out the window en route. The officers beat him and left him on the side of the road, and threatened dire consequences if he returned to Beijing. It took Liu until early the next morning to return home. (CHRD)[vi]

Police Briefly Detain and Search Home of Beijing Activist Su Yutong

Around 11 pm on the evening of June 15, claiming to “check her hukou (residency permit) status,” Beijing police arrived to search the Chaoyang District home of activist Su Yutong (苏雨桐). Su was taken to Chaowai police station in Chaoyang District, where she was held until 4am, when police released her following pressure from netizens who gathered outside of the police station demanding her release. According to activist Zhang Hui (张辉), police targeted Su because she had posted on Twitter an invitation to her fellow activists to gather for a Dragon Boat Festival party in a public park on the evening of June 19. (CHRD)[vii]

Shanghai Activist Jin Yuehua Remains Under Soft Detention as Expo Continues

CHRD learned on June 12 that Shanghai petitioner-activist Jin Yuehua (金月花) has been placed under soft detention since April 24 by Shanghai police. Jin has been confined to her home in Shanghai’s Minhang District and is accompanied by police on the rare occasions upon which she is allowed to leave. Jin believes that the measure is related to the Shanghai Expo, and that police are hoping to prevent her from visiting the Expo grounds. (CHRD)[viii]

Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

Dissident Li Hong, Recently Released on Medical Parole, in Critical Condition

Zhejiang writer Li Hong (力虹, real name: Zhang Jianhong [张建红]), who was sentenced to six years in prison for “subversion of state power” based on his articles critical of the government, is in grave condition. Li, who suffers from a neurological disease, was released on medical parole on June 5, and on June 12 dissident Zhu Yufu (朱虞夫) visited him in Ningbo City’s Mingzhou Hospital. Zhu reported that Li appears extremely frail and emaciated, and was barely able to nod and smile in response to seeing Zhu. Li’s hospital bills now total at least 3000 RMB per day, and Li’s family has been forced to sell their home to pay for his care. Still, they are in desperate need of further funding. Li, who was sent to prison in January 2007, became ill while incarcerated and his condition rapidly worsened as he was reportedly denied proper medical attention for years. (CHRD)[ix]

Editors: David Smalls and Lin Sang

*** CHRD’s Human Rights Yearbook 2009 is now available. For a free copy, please contact us with your mailing address at crdnetwork@gmail.com. ***

News updates from CHRD

Annual Report on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in China (2009)

[i] “Liu Xueli Files for Administrative Reconsideration of RTL Decision at State Council Legal Office” (刘学立到国务院法制办就劳教一事提起行政复议), June 20, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class18/liuxueli/201006/20100620072059_21795.html.

[ii] “Beijing Activist ‘Butcher’ Administratively Detained for 15 Days in Lijiang” (北京维权人士屠夫在丽江被拘留十五日), June 19, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201006/20100619230247_21792.html.

[iii] “Beijing Activist Li Jincheng Loses Contact with Outside World” (北京维权人士李金城与外界失去联系), June 20, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201006/20100620083856_21797.html

[iv] “Chen Yunfei and Yellow Ribbon Action Team Members File Complaint Regarding his Illegal Detention” (陈云飞与黄丝带行动人员到公安局投诉对他的非法羁押), June 20, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201006/20100620155837_21803.html

[v] “Beijing Twitterers Gather in Support of Ni Yulan Outside of Donghuamen Police Station” (北京推友团在东华门派出所声援倪玉兰律师), June 17, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201006/20100617100142_21752.html.

[vi] “Human Rights Activist Liu Dejun Beaten and Taken to a Remote Location by Police in the Middle of the Night” (维权人士刘德军深夜被警察殴打并抛深山), June 16, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class53/201006/20100616113951_21724.html.

[vii] “Beijing NGO Worker Su Yutong Has House Searched” (北京NGO人士苏雨桐被抄家), June 16, 2010, http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2010/06/201006160015.shtml.

[viii] “Shanghai Activist Jin Yuehua Still Under Soft Detention Because of Shanghai Expo” (上海维权人士金月花因世博会仍被软禁), June 15, 2010, http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2010/06/201006150850.shtml.

[ix] “Dissident Zhu Yufu Visits Li Hong in Hospital; Li Hong in Critical Condition, in Need of Emergency Aid” (异议人士朱虞夫到医院探望力虹，力虹病情危急需救助), June 16, 2010, https://www.nchrd.org/Article/Class18/Class70/201006/20100616090211_21714.html.